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Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
Overview
ECRBA APPLICATION STEP#1
Prepare your appointment STEP#2
Make an Appointment STEP#3
Quick Checklist

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is a formal document certifying the acquisition of United States citizenship at birth for a person born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents who meet the requirements for transmitting citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). U.S. non-citizen nationals are also eligible for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, using the non-citizen option.

Important:

  • You can begin the application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) electronically.
  • After completing your application, you must travel to the U.S. Embassy Paris, France, U.S. Consulate Marseille, or U.S. Consulate Strasbourg for the in-person interview.
  • CRBA applications must be made before the child’s 18th birthday. We recommend that parents apply for the CRBA as soon as possible after the child’s birth. Passport applications must be completed and submitted separately.
  • If you would like to apply for your child’s social security number, contact the Social Security Office in Paris.

eCRBA application (STEP 1)

This new online process (eCRBA) allows U.S. citizen parents to complete a Consular Report of Birth Abroad application online, upload all required documents, and submit payment prior to the in-person interview.

To begin the online application, you need to create a MyTravelGov  account. MyTravelGov is a secure, encrypted portal. Once you complete the online application and submit payment, you may schedule your appointment at the U.S. Embassy or the consulates in Marseille or Strasbourg (see STEP 3).

To apply for a CRBA online, you MUST meet all the following criteria:

  • You are applying for an appointment
  • The child was born in France
  • The child is under the age of 18
  • At least one parent a U.S. citizen or U.S. non-citizen national when the child was born.
  • You can use a credit/debit card or a direct payment method from a U.S. dollar-denominated bank account (also known as “ACH”) to pay online for your Consular Report of Birth Abroad application?
  • You are a biological parent of the child for whom you are applying for a CRBA

Be prepared for your appointment (STEP 2)

Your child must be present at the interview. Both parents must be present for children under 16. If one parent cannot be present, please see the instructions on this page under #7, “Show Parental Consent.”

You need the following for your appointment:

  • Documentation to prove Transmission of U.S. Citizenship by parents (originals and one copy)
  • Child’s original French birth certificate (copie integrale)
  • One copy and original of both parents’ valid Government-issued Photo ID
  • Marriage certificate (copy and original), if applicable
  • Proof of divorce(s) (copy and original), if applicable
  • Prior Report of Birth Abroad for another child from same family (copy and original), if applicable
  • If the applicant (even if an infant) does not have a U.S. Social Security Number, please complete and submit this form with the passport application.
  • A  self-addressed, prepaid envelope for passport return, with capacity for 500g for each applicant, specifically:
    • A  Colissimo (“pret-a-envoyer”) or Chronopost (“pret-a-expedier”). One applicant can use the 1 kg (the smallest available) envelope and multiple applicants can use the same envelope, as long as you allow for  500g per applicant.  Ex., Two applicants could be returned together in the 1 kg envelope, four applicants in the 2 kg envelope, etc.
    • NOTE: Applicants outside of Metropolitan France and Monaco should use a Chronopost “Monde et Outre-Mer” envelope.
    • Applicants for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad may use the same 500g envelope for both the passport and the CRBA.

Schedule an Appointment (STEP 3)

Please plan to schedule your appointment a minimum of three days (72 hours) after the submission of the online application to allow payment processing to be completed.

  • For Paris, make your appointment.
  • For Marseille, make your appointment.  Due to limited appointments, only applicants located in PACA, Occitanie, Monaco and Corsica may apply in Marseille at this time. Other applicants should apply at the Embassy in Paris (see above).
  •  For an in-person interview in Strasbourg, call 01 43 12 47 11 or email USAStrasbourg@state.gov.

If there are no appointments available when your first check the booking system, please keep checking.  New appointments are regularly added, including appointments available after daily cancellations.  These appointments can only be booked through the online calendar, not by email or telephone.

Applying for your child's first passport

First U.S. Passport (Separate Process)